Fallen
by Chibi Yoshi
Summary: A battle lost leaves scars that will change a hero's life forever. Scars that may never heal. Scars that may slowly destroy him from within.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes

Whoamygosh, I'M ALIVE! GASP. And I have a new story! DOUBLE-GASP. This isn't going to be long, though... maybe. I said the same thing about Sweet and Sour, but it turned out to be a lot longer than I had expected. Creativity's crazy like that. >.>;

I've had the idea for this for at least a couple of months, and I suppose it was inspired by some of Chaos Flower's short, angsty fics (you rock, CF! XD). Finally got around to writing it at the beginning of my spring break. It's something of an experiment... my first real attempt at writing in first person. It's _hard_... but morbidly fun. >.> But being an experiment, I may decide somewhere down the road that I wanna do things differently and totally rewrite everything. So far I like where it's going, so hopefully I won't have to take down this chapter and redo it.

Anyway, you're not here to read my rambling, so let's move on to better things!

* * *

Fallen

* * *

It's cold.

That's all I know. Everything is so distant…

I shiver involuntarily. Then there's something else.

_Pain_.

I don't know where it's coming from.

But it _hurts_.

I moan, but I barely hear it.

A voice beside me.

It's all fuzzy to me. But the voice is familiar.

The pain is coming from my legs. Why? I can't think…

Something warm touches my hand. There's the voice again.

_Tails_.

"Sonic… hear…?"

It's still muddled. I don't understand what he's saying.

It's light somewhere. Maybe in front of me. Yes, I think my eyes are closed. I try to open them, but they're so heavy…

Pressure on my hand. Something's squeezing it.

"Sonic…"

I will my eyelids to lift ever so slowly. It's so hard. Bright, too. I close them and try again, blinking rapidly.

"Sonic, you're awake!"

My eyes, now partially open, drift to the left. Something yellow.

"Tails," I try to reply, but it comes out choked. Why am I so tired?

"Yeah, it's me." He sounds relieved. Blinking to clear my vision, I can tell he's smiling. I manage my own weak smile in return.

I slowly look around me. Lots of white, which makes me squint. There're some machines next to me. I must be in a hospital, but why? My memory's still hazy…

"How… how do you feel?"

I look back at Tails. He has this anxious look on his face, almost like he's scared of something. Whatever happened, I must've been hurt pretty bad.

I flash him a reassuring grin. "I'm all right. My head feels like it's in space, and my legs kinda hurt, but I'm okay."

Something's wrong. He still looks scared. Or sad. Or maybe both. He smiles back at me, but I can tell it's forced. I want to ask him what's wrong, but he stands up before I get the chance.

"I promised the others I'd call as soon as you woke up." His voice is trembling slightly. "I'll be right back, okay?" I nod, and he quickly dashes out of my little room. I stare at the door for a few moments then shift my stare to the ceiling. What happened? Why is he so scared?

I didn't… hurt him… did I?

No… no, that can't be it. Think… what happened before I ended up here?

I… was fighting. We all were.

Me, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow.

We were all fighting inside Eggman's base.

There were the usual badniks—not terribly strong, but enough of them to keep everyone busy.

Everyone… but me? I wasn't fighting them.

There was someone else I was fighting…

_Pain!_

My legs! They _hurt!_

I clench my teeth and moan more loudly this time. _Why?_ Why does it hurt so much? Carefully, I move my hands to my legs and feel them.

They're covered in casts.

Both of them.

Up to nearly my hips.

My mouth feels dry all of a sudden.

And my insides are cold.

What could've done this to me?

_Red eyes_.

I feel even colder now. My heart's beating faster. _Panic_. Get them away! _Get them_ _away!_

A sound to my left. I instantly look to the door.

It's only Tails.

Relieved, I start to calm down. But Tails must've noticed—he looks a little alarmed.

"You okay, Sonic?" He's seated at my bedside again.

I manage another smile, fighting to control my breathing and ignore the pain in my legs. "I'm fine."

He nods, but I doubt he believes me. He knows me too well. But he lets it drop anyway. "I called Amy. They're all at her apartment. They'll be here—"

The door swings open again, and none other than Amy Rose herself bursts through.

"…soon." Tails finishes, looking as surprised as I am.

"Sonic!" Amy rushes over to me, and at first I'm sure she's gonna latch onto me like she usually does. But she hesitates when she reaches me and grabs my hand instead. That's a relief…

I hear the door close and notice that Knuckles and Shadow have just arrived, too. "That was quick," I say to them. Shadow holds up the green Chaos Emerald with the slightest of smirks on his face. I grin back at him. Figures.

Amy squeezes my hand in both of hers. "How are you feeling?" I look back at her. She looks worried, just like Tails did. "I'm alright," I respond. But by now I know that's a flat-out lie. She seems at least a little relieved, though.

Knuckles snorts as he pulls a chair to the right side of my bed. "I knew he'd be fine."

"Oh really?" I turn and see that Amy's glaring at him. "Is that why you decided to use my wall to vent your 'peace of mind'?"

I can't help but laugh at the image of Knuckles putting a fist through Amy's wall and the pink fury that must've ensued. "Aw, Knux. I didn't know you cared!" He folds his arms and looks away, but I'm certain he's a little redder than usual.

I look to Shadow, who hasn't said a word yet. He's leaning against the wall opposite the foot of my bed. He looks like he has something on his mind, and it makes me uneasy. "So." I look around at the others. "Someone wanna tell me what happened?"

Suddenly there's a tension in the air. Amy and Tails have that worried look again, and I'm sure I saw Shadow shift uneasily, too. Knuckles leans forward in his chair a little bit. "You don't remember?"

I furrow my brow. "Well, I remember being in Eggman's base. You guys were fighting some badniks, and I was…" My voice trails off as the memory of those red eyes returns. I swallow hard, fighting off panic again.

Knuckles exhales softly. "You were fighting Metal Sonic."

My eyes widen. "M… Metal…" Images flash through my head.

Red eyes swooping down at me out of nowhere.

Red eyes slamming me against walls.

Red eyes standing triumphantly over me.

Red eyes laughing.

_PAIN!_

Screaming.

_My _screaming.

"Tails, Amy, why don't you see if you can find us some drinks?"

I snap back to reality and realize that Shadow's speaking for the first time since he arrived. I turn my head to look at Tails and Amy. They both look frightened, and Tails looks like he's on the verge of tears. "Come on," I hear Amy whisper. She gently tugs him out of his seat and they head for the door.

His tails are dragging on the ground.

As the door closes behind them, I'm even more aware that something is terribly wrong.

* * *

What a perfect way to end a chapter... with a cliffie! XD (is murdered by all the readers). x.x;Well, at least I know you care!XP; I've been on a writing frenzy with this fic for the past week, so hopefully I can get the next chapter up soon. For updates on the progress ofmy other fics, check my profile. And as always, please review! They make me feel warm and fuzzy inside! Flames will be shot down with Shadow's new BFG. >:D 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes

Okay… so "soon" has absolutely no meaning with me. But then, most of my regular readers (are there any of you left? o.o;) have probably figured that out by now. >.>;; But hey, two updates in one year is good for me, right? XD This chappie's longer anyway… which is strange, seeing as how I'm certain I didn't intend it to be when I started… >.>;

I was originally thinking about doing the whole story from Sonic's POV, but then I thought it'd be fun to get more angsty inside more characters' heads. XP I suppose I was inspired by Ardil the Traveler's fic "Only Yesterday" (a MUST-READ). Though I won't claim that mine is executed nearly as well. XP

Review responses:

Shadow's Dark Angel – Far from perfect, but thanks! XP

Chaos Flower – Ripped off his legs? lol! I hadn't thought of that… >.> But no, I'm not quite _that_ mean. XD And yes, it is fairly drastic. And you're close. (grin)

Dragonmaster Kyra- (fears the mallet) o.o;

fornwalt – Thanks! If I don't…? o.o Well here's an update, don't hurt me!

Now, on to…

* * *

Chapter 2

* * *

It's scary.

Seeing him like this, I mean.

He's so still and silent. So unlike the energetic Sonic I know.

I may never see that Sonic again.

And it scares me.

But I have to be brave. He needs that much from me.

That's why I'm here—to be with him. They tried to make me leave, but I wouldn't. I can't leave Sonic like this…

I'm not even sure how long I've been here. A couple of days, maybe? I'm too tired to remember. I haven't slept much—I don't really want to now.

'Cause every time I fall asleep…

…I hear him screaming.

I don't think I'll ever forget that.

It terrified me. And it still does. I've never heard him scream like that.

And I hope I never will again…

Wait! He moaned! I think he's waking up!

"Sonic?"

He doesn't respond, but I'm sure his eyes are moving slightly behind his eyelids. I place my right hand over his left. "Sonic, can you hear me?"

Yes, his eyes are moving more now! I squeeze his hand, hopeful that everything will be alright. "Sonic…"

He's opened his eyes! "Sonic, you're awake!"

He looks my way, and I can't help but feel joy wash over me. "Tails," he whispers, and my heart leaps again.

"Yeah, it's me." He's back, and suddenly everything seems like it'll be okay. Maybe the doctors were wrong. Maybe he'll be just fine and everything will go back to normal.

A voice in the back of my head tells me I'm being stupid, that there's no way things will be normal again.

But I have to hope… there's always hope…

"How… how do you feel?" I ask him, sounding more uncertain than I wanted to.

He looks back at me and grins after a moment. That smile's always able to lift my spirits. "I'm all right," he responds. "My head feels like it's in space, and my legs kinda hurt, but I'm okay."

Suddenly I'm crashing back to reality. That voice mocks me again. _You can't deny it now._

I want to cry, but I won't let myself. Not in front of him.

He's looking at me funny. I stand up before he asks me something and I fall apart. "I promised the others I'd call as soon as you woke up." Ugh, I can't even control my voice! "I'll be right back, okay?"

Sonic nods, and I half-run to the door. Once outside, I continue down the hall toward the nearest payphone. My cheeks are wet. Augh! I'm such a baby! I rub at my eyes with the back of my glove and take a few deep breaths. Come on, pull yourself together!

I insert a few coins into the phone and dial Amy's number. Halfway through the first ring someone answers.

"Hello?" It's Amy, and she sounds pretty anxious.

"Hey, Amy. It's Tails."

"Tails! How's Sonic?"

I grin as I give her the good news. "He's awake!"

I have to pull the phone away from my ear as she starts shouting excitedly. I can just imagine her jumping up and down with joy. Finally, she calms down and I can put the phone back to my ear. "We're on our way!" she speaks breathlessly, and then there's a click as she hangs up.

I laugh a little. Typical Amy. I make my way back to Sonic's room, a little more cheerful now. Amy had the right idea. Sonic's awake, and that's something to be happy about. Reaching his room, I open the door and step inside.

Then I freeze.

Sonic's staring at the ceiling, wide-eyed and frightened.

_Frightened_.

No… that shouldn't be Sonic at all… never…

The door clicks shut behind me, and Sonic's head jerks in my direction. I jump a little at the sudden movement. He seems to relax when he sees me, though. A little uncertainly, I walk to the chair next his bed and sit back down again. "You okay, Sonic?"

He smiles again, but it looks pained. "I'm fine."

More and more, I'm realizing that he really isn't. But I nod anyway. Then I remember the phone call. "I called Amy. They're all at her apartment. They'll be here--"

I hear the door open behind me and look over my shoulder. Standing there is a frazzled pink hedgehog. "…soon" I finish, dumbfounded at her sudden appearance.

"Sonic!" she cries, and runs over. Instinctively I slide my chair aside—I know her too well to get in her way. Surprisingly, she halts at the bedside and only grabs Sonic's hand. I hear more footsteps behind me. I look over my shoulder again to see that Knuckles and Shadow are here, too.

"That was quick," Sonic says to them. He looks as baffled as I am. I look back over my shoulder and see that Shadow is holding up the green Chaos Emerald. I smile. The wonders of Chaos Control…

"How are you feeling?" Amy asks gently. I look back at her and Sonic.

"I'm alright," Sonic replies. Amy buys it, but I don't. I still don't say anything though.

Knuckles pulls up a chair on the opposite side of the bed from me. "I knew he'd be fine," he says smugly.

"Oh really?" Amy seems to disagree. She seems kinda angry too… "Is that why you decided to use my wall to vent your 'peace of mind'?"

I try to keep from laughing, but Sonic shows no restraint. Knuckles venting on anything is never a good thing. And I can only imagine how Amy would've reacted. Poor Knuckles.

"Aw, Knux. I didn't know you cared!" Sonic teases him. He looks away, trying not to look embarrassed. I smile. This is how things should be.

Sonic looks past the foot of his bed. Shadow's there against the wall. I'd almost forgotten he was here. "So, someone wanna tell me what happened?"

I look back to Sonic and realize that he means how he ended up here. Everyone's quiet for a moment. I doubt anyone wants to think about that. I know _I _don't…

Knuckles breaks the silence. "You don't remember?"

Sonic seems to think for a moment. "Well, I remember being in Eggman's base. You guys were fighting some badniks, and I was…" His voice trails off, and that same haunted look I saw before creeps back.

A part of me doesn't want him to remember. A part of my mind screams at Knuckles to not say anything. I don't want to see him so frightened or hurt ever again.

_Never_.

But my thoughts don't stop Knuckles. "You were fighting Metal Sonic."

"M… Metal Sonic," he breathes, eyes widening. He looks frightened again.

No…

_Terrified_.

I'm scared again.

Scared at seeing him like this.

Because this isn't the Sonic I know.

This isn't the way he should ever be.

It's all _wrong!_

"Tails, Amy, why don't you see if you can find us some drinks?"

It's Shadow speaking. He looks at us solemnly. I know that's really just an excuse for us to leave—he doesn't want us to be here when he explains everything. I don't want to leave Sonic, but I know we can't stay. When Sonic finds out what happened… I don't think I could bear it. I doubt Amy could, either. I know I'll break down crying, and that'll only hurt Sonic more.

That's why we have to leave.

"Come on," Amy whispers to me. She takes me by the arm and we head for the door.

I don't even have the will to keep my tails off the ground now.

Once we're outside and out of earshot from the door, I can't hold it in any longer.

I cry.

And I cry.

And I cry…

* * *

Another cliffie! Or rather, the same cliffie! XD (murdered by readers again) You'll find out what happened to Sonic next chapter, I promise. XP (whenever that will be… >.> ;) Try and guess whose point of view it will be from. XP Baibai! 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes

Holy blue hedgehogs, Batman! Another update in LESS THAN A MONTH! (readers die of shock) I guess it's because I had much fun writing it. Or maybe it's just because my readers are suddenly getting a lot more violent. XD;; Lots of interesting theories as to what happened to Sonic… legs torn off, legs broken, paralysis, bleeding to death… There are some twisted ppl reading my fics! XD

(remembers that there are also violent ones)

...not that that's a bad thing. o.o

Anyway… there was one vote for Amy and two (or 2.5, CF? XP) for Shadow. So, let's see who was right. :P

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

I hate waiting. 

You might never guess from my outward composure.

But I hate it just as much as Sonic does.

I'm just able to deal with it better.

Apparently better than that echidna, too…

I suppose I can't blame him. His friend is suffering and there's nothing he can do about it.

Nothing _any_ of us can do about it.

I hate feeling helpless, too.

Part of me wants to run off right now and shred that wretched robot to pieces.

Judging from the sizeable hole in the wall, I imagine Knuckles feels the same way.

But that's not going to help anyone right now. Attacking in blind rage would probably only land more of us in the hospital.

Besides…

I have another task now.

To tell Sonic what he doesn't want to hear and none of us wants to believe.

It's not really something I look forward to…

But it has to be this way.

Tails… he adores Sonic. He's never left his side all this time, despite the efforts of friends and hospital workers alike. His loyalty—to use a crude analogy—is like that of a dog ever-faithful to its master.

It almost sickens me.

Except that I was once like that… a lifetime ago…

But I digress. Tails was devastated enough when the doctors explained Sonic's condition to us. Putting him through that again would be cruel, to say the least.

Amy reacted in much the same way. She may be older than Tails, but she's still very close to Sonic. Giving her this job wouldn't be much better.

Knuckles could probably have handled it. He's not as attached as Tails or Amy, and he's almost as good at controlling his emotions as I am.

Almost.

I half-wonder if he'd start trashing the hospital in frustration, too…

So how did I get stuck with this?

I suppose it's because I can relate to him. I share much more in common with him than anyone else.

And I can understand how hard this will be for him because of that.

Ah, the phone's ringing.

Well… it _was_. Amy's answered it already. She's been like this the past few days, practically pouncing on the phone with each call.

I have to admit, she has good reflexes.

Knuckles has snapped to attention again from his seat on the sofa. He tries hard to not look worried, but he's just as much on edge as the rest of us.

…Yes, myself included.

But like I said, I'm much better at hiding it.

_Agh!_ What's she screaming about?

"He's awake! He's awake!"

_Awake?_ That got my attention.

Knuckles is already out of his seat and heading toward her. I leave my spot by the window to join them as well.

"We're on our way!" she speaks into the phone at a slightly lower volume before hanging up.

"Sonic's awake?" Knuckles asks, voice betraying his concern.

Amy's beaming. The answer's obvious, but she replies anyway. "Yes! Come on, let's hurry over there!"

Her and Knuckles are halfway to the door already. I clear my throat and hold up a little gem I've held on to. "I think this would be quicker."

Having caught their attention, they turn and come back to me. Amy grabs one of my arms and grins again. "I love you."

I cough. "For your sake, I'll pretend you didn't say that." She merely giggles. How annoying. Knuckles places a hand on my opposite shoulder, grunting slightly. I suppose that's his way of saying "thank you".

No sense in drawing out this _warm_ moment any longer. "Chaos Control!" The room around me disappears in a brilliant green light, which fades seconds later to a hallway within the hospital. I've grown accustomed to this by now, but Knuckles and Amy must be a bit disoriented, as they still haven't let go of me. I encourage them by roughly tugging my arms and stepping away.

This seems to effectively shake them out of their stupor, as Amy immediately makes a beeline for a door down the hall. For a moment it seems like Knuckles is ready to break into a jog after her. But he glances at me and instead chooses a more dignified gait.

He tries. I'll give him that much.

I follow him to Sonic's door. When we enter, I see that Amy's already at his bedside, holding his hand. The door clicks shut behind us, drawing Sonic's attention.

"That was quick." I hold up the Chaos Emerald, feeling somewhat smug. He smiles back. He's well aware of the convenience of Emerald transportation.

"How are you feeling?" Amy asks him, while I move to the wall opposite his bed.

"I'm alright." Hm. He's hiding something.

But I don't need to guess what…

He's really too noble for his own good. Always trying to appear fearless and invincible. It gives them strength. I suppose it gives him strength, too.

Funny how that can all change in a matter of seconds.

How an image, an identity can be shattered in an instant…

"So, someone wanna tell me what happened?"

No one speaks at first.

Because no one wants to answer…

Knuckles breaks the silence. "You don't remember?"

Sonic looks like he's trying to. "Well, I remember being in Eggman's base. You guys were fighting some badniks, and I was…" He trails off and looks as though he's recalling something he'd rather forget.

"You were fighting Metal Sonic." There, he's said it. And now all the pieces begin to fall into place…

"M… Metal…" Yes, Sonic's remembering now. How much, I'm not sure.

But it's enough.

Enough to frighten Tails and Amy as they watch their brave hero crumble before their very eyes.

_Enough_.

"Tails, Amy, why don't you see if you can find us some drinks?" They both look up at me with near-teary eyes. They look reluctant to leave, but they understand what will happen next.

It's for the best.

Amy takes Tails by the arm and guides him to the door.

I don't think I've ever seen him look so utterly dejected…

The door closes. Sonic looks to me.

It can't be put off any longer…

I walk over to his bedside, briefly considering whether I should sit down or not.

In the chair previously occupied by Tails.

…I think I'll just stand.

"Shadow… what's going on here?" My eyes meet Sonic's.

He's afraid.

Fear… doesn't suit him.

I want to look away, knowing that it will only get worse. But I will myself to keep my eyes locked on his.

Now is not the time for weakness.

I take a deep, quiet breath. "As Knuckles said, you were fighting Metal." I pause for a moment, bracing myself for my next words.

"You lost."

Sonic's mouth opens as though to say something, but nothing comes out. Instead he regains that vacant look of recalling a memory.

And the fear intensifies.

"My… my legs…" His voice is barely a whisper.

I force myself to go on. "He broke both your legs. Nearly shattered the bone and tore a lot of muscle."

He's staring intent and wide-eyed at me, now.

_Afraid_.

My teeth clench. I… don't want to do this.

I don't want to stare at those eyes anymore.

I don't want to see such a carefree spirit wither away into a lost soul.

_So much like me…_

But fate is cruel. I understand that as well as anyone.

So I don't look away.

I shed no tears.

"The doctors said…"

And I force myself to speak without wavering.

"…you'll never be able to run again."

* * *

Finally! The tragic truth revealed! Am I evil or what? XP Poor Sonikku. And to those who guessed Shadow, give yourself a pat on the back, because I'm too cheap to give you anything! XD;; 

I think I did a better job on this chap than the last… too much detail and repetition killed the Tails chap, I think. So I left out a lot of the physical details that were described in the previous chapters (small bits of dialogue, minor actions of other chars, etc.). I think it works for Shadow, since he's more the type to be lost in his own thoughts rather than paying attention to insignificant things around him. :P

I haven't decided yet whether I want to do Amy or Knuckles chapters. If I do, they'll be later on in the story. I _am_ considering doing an Eggman and/or Metal chapter… not sure where I'd fit them in, but I especially think it'd be interesting to see Eggman's reaction to the situation. :grin: The possibilities…

But enough of my rambling. Thanks to all who reviewed, and new reviews are always appreciated! Til the next chap, chao!


	4. Chapter 4

(sigh) Another chapter… I felt depressed just writing it. ;-; Plus it didn't seem to be as easy to write as the last chap was… hence it's a bit shorter. I don't think I could make it any longer without detracting from the effect, though. So short it stays:P Sorry it took so long to get it written… Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst eats my brain. .

Thanks to all who reviewed! They feed my ego—er… creativity! _¬.¬ _Yes… . For those of you who enjoyed the humor in the last chap, sorry to say that this one is too swamped with angst for any laughs. ;-; Poor Sonic… now let's get on to his angsty suffering:D

--------------

Chapter 4

--------------

No.

That can't be right…

It _can't_ be!

"You have a twisted sense of humor, Shadow," I say with a short laugh, but even I recognize how hollow it sounds.

No smile cracks on his face, no hint of amusement in his eyes.

"It's no joke, Sonic."

My stomach's twisted itself in knots. I look to Knuckles, hoping to find something—_anything_—to contradict Shadow's words. But he looks just as grim, head bowed and gaze fixed on his clenched fists.

_No…_

"There's… gotta be some sort of mistake…" I stutter, and I can't help sounding desperate. "Maybe the doctors were wrong… maybe I'll heal just fine!" But even as I say it, I realize that the pain in my legs isn't getting any better.

Shadow never takes his eyes off me. "Perhaps you don't remember clearly," he says almost coldly, but there's a fire in his eyes. One that even I have rarely seen. "But _I_ do. I saw what Metal did to you. How mangled you were…" He pauses, and for a moment I think he's going to look away. But he doesn't, and I can't figure out why. "Truthfully, I'm surprised you'll be able to walk at all."

_That… that jerk!_ How can he be so callous! I glare at him, disbelief quickly turning to anger. "Of course _you'd_ say something like that. You've always hated the fact that I'm just as fast and strong as you! Shatter my hope of ever running again and you've nixed one rival, isn't that right?"

Shadow looks shocked, making me feel a little satisfied. But it's cut short when Knuckles growls and starts yelling at me.

"Don't be an idiot, Sonic!" He's mad, alright, but he also seems frustrated. "Do you really think we'd make this up? Get it through that thick skull of yours—this is real!"

His last statement echoes in my mind.

…_Real…?_

"_How does it feel, hedgehog, to know that your worst nightmare is about to become a reality?_"

That horrible laughter…

Now I realize what he meant.

Everything they've been saying…

_It's true_…

I clench my eyes shut, fighting back tears. "N…no…" My voice is choked. I can't help it anymore. "This can't be happening… can't…"

"It is, Sonic," Shadow says quietly, staring at me again.

"Why?" I'm breathing fast now, and my eyes burn. "_Why!_"

"Because of Eggman and his demonic robot, that's why!" Knuckles shouts angrily. "I'll kill them both, I swear I will…" His fists are clenched so hard now that they're shaking.

But I don't care.

Not anymore.

Nothing matters now…

"Leave me alone," I mutter, and I can finally feel hot tears on my cheeks.

Knuckles looks both startled and apologetic. "Sonic, I--"

"Just get out!" I yell at both of them. The effort causes more pain in my legs, and I finally break down into sobs. Even my dignity's gone now. "Go away…"

I'm blinded by my own tears, but I hear Shadow moving towards the door. "Let's go." A few seconds pass before I hear Knuckles get up and leave the room. I can still see a dark blur standing in the doorway, though.

"I'm sorry," he says in a low voice. I turn my head the other way and glare out the window. He's the _last_ person I want condolences from. The door clicks shut, and finally I know I'm alone.

Nothing stops me from crying freely now.

_It's not fair!_

How could I have let this happen?

How could I let him _beat_ me?

I was caught off guard… I should've been ready…

He came out of nowhere as I went after Eggman, leaving the others to deal with the badniks. He rammed into me headfirst, knocking me senseless. It was all I could do to dodge his rapid attacks after that. Looking back, I realize that he was driving me further from my friends with each attack.

Further from help.

Before I knew it, I'd lost sight of them and was barely aware of the sounds of their battle. Then Metal's tactics changed.

I'd never seen him fight like that before. Knuckles put it well—it was like fighting a demon. Yet, despite being an expressionless robot…

…he seemed maliciously _happy_.

I couldn't dodge his attacks, couldn't block them—his strikes came in fast and hard. A fist to the gut to knock the wind out of me, an elbow to the head to disorient me, a kick to the back to send me face-first into a wall. He planned it all out, down to each blow. It's fuzzy after that. All I remember was ending up on my back on the floor…

…staring up into those glowing red eyes…

I couldn't move—I could barely even see straight. But I could hear him—taunting, laughing at me. His voice rose into the air…

"_And now, the world shall know 'Sonic' no more!_"

The sound of his jet engine rushing down at me. A thousand daggers tearing at my legs. Pain, unbearable pain…

_I thought I was gonna die_.

I thought he would _kill_ me.

"_There are fates far worse than death, hedgehog_." He was right.

The physical pain is less now…

…but there's a deeper pain that's so much worse.

"_You'll never be able to run again_."

The rush of the wind, the blur of passing landscape, the adrenaline-induced euphoria….

The _freedom_.

It's all gone.

_Forever_.

How can I live now, a prisoner of my own body? _What kind of life is that!_

My fur's soaked from tears of anger and despair. Sonic the adventurer, the hero, the speed demon…

…is _dead_.

I sob uncontrollably, my complete and utter defeat finally overwhelming me.

_I wish…_

_…he had killed me…_

_--------------------------------_

(sigh) Gomen, Sonikku. ;-; I'm so mean.

…but I see why Metal had so much fun. _¬_._¬_

Anyway, I'm not entirely sure which chapter I'll write next, so it'll be a surprise for all of us:D And since I've started school now, who knows when it'll get written… Add to that that I've already started making a concept map for a Stargate/Sonic crossover that I can't seem to get my head around… . (double-sigh) My train of thought's gonna explode when all these spiffy new Sonic games come out…

As always, thanks for reading, and feel free to drop a review and let me know what you think! Chao!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes

Well, I was right. My train did explode from all the spiffy new Sonic games. Shadow and Riders are fun. XD That, and I went to Tokyo for 3 weeks in January (sooo much fun… despite being sick the entire time and catching the flu x.X). So those're my excuses for not updating. n.n; Ironically, I wrote this entire chapter in about two days, heh. _¬_._¬_; Well, just think of it as an Easter present. The POV of this chap is related after all. (grin) For those who thought the last one was too depressing, there is a _little_ bit of humor in this one. Read on and enjoy!

Chapter 5

_Defeated_.

For once, a statement not in reference to myself.

This time, it applies to _him_.

My long-time nemesis, that blue hedgehog that's always stood in my way.

Finally… defeated.

No more will that meddling hedgehog destroy all my lovely machines, my marvelous bases. No more will he confront me with cocky insults and his infuriatingly carefree attitude. No more will Sonic the Hedgehog play the hero.

…

I should be happy, right?

Now having that spiky little pest out of my hair (metaphorically speaking, of course), one would think I'd be bouncing with glee.

Yet, I'm not.

It's true that I've wanted nothing more than getting Sonic out of my way.

I just… never planned for it to happen in quite this way…

Some would call me a madman, an evil genius—but I am by no means cruel. To deal with Sonic, permanent imprisonment or perhaps a hero's death in the heat of battle would be a suitable solution in my eyes. As for Metal Sonic's method…

I wouldn't wish that on even my worst enemy.

When Metal approached me with his plan, I was skeptical. After all, how could my subordinate's plan succeed where those of his genius creator's had failed? Of course, he neglected to mention some of the little details, merely assuring me that it would work. Had I known what his true intentions were, I would have flat-out refused him.

Although, if I had known what he was capable of, I might not have dared to stand in his way…

At any rate, I decided to go along with it. If it worked, wonderful. If it didn't, it would at least put Metal in his place—teach him to try to outdo _me_.

The plan was simple: capture one of his friends to lure him into a trap, send some badniks to keep his the others occupied, and Metal would "take care" of the hedgehog. They say hindsight is 20/20, and looking back I realize I must have been blind not to have seen it sooner.

I programmed Metal Sonic with one main objective: defeat Sonic the Hedgehog. However, as his AI evolved over the years, so did that objective. Somehow it grew into a hatred for his organic template—far surpassing any sentiments I hold for him, much less anything I programmed into Metal. Now I see that it wasn't Metal's intention to _kill_ Sonic.

It was to completely and utterly _destroy_ him.

To make him suffer in the worst way possible.

Judging by the screams I heard that day, I'd wager he did a fairly good job of it.

Of course, that was only the half of it, I'm sure. After all these years fighting Sonic, I'd have to say I know him fairly well. At least enough to know that he lives for adventure, speed, and freedom. A blow like this… I'm not sure even he can recover from.

_That_, I am sickened to say, is what Metal wanted.

And if I'm completely honest…

…it frightens me as well.

What have I created? He's evolved so far beyond my original design that I'm not even sure I can control him anymore. Is this how my grandfather felt when the Biolizard and Artificial Chaos went berserk? Or when so many people aboard the ARK—his own granddaughter included—were killed because of his experiments?

Now, I've lost control over weapons before. Chaos was… well… _chaos_. Shadow… was never entirely stable I suppose, wanting to blow up the world and all. Then again, I suppose one could argue that wanting to be Emperor of the world is a sign of mental instability as well. But Metal… if he had an organic brain I'd say that he was clinically psychotic.

And having a psychotic killing machine in the same base as you is a very dangerous thing indeed.

Now that Sonic is… out of the picture… I'm not sure what will happen. This would be the perfect opportunity to launch another plan for world domination, while his friends are distracted by his predicament. Yet… I just can't bring myself to do it.

I have a great deal of respect for Sonic. I always have, despite the many times he's thwarted my plans. He's been a truly admirable opponent, and—to be quite honest—not a small reason why I keep on trying again and again. He continually pushes me to the limit, and the challenge is highly stimulating. He is the only opponent who ever could and possibly ever will provide such a challenge.

But now that's over.

I may very well be able to succeed in conquering the world. But somehow I don't think victory will taste as sweet.

And of course, this is all assuming that Metal doesn't turn and kill me in my sleep now that Sonic's out of the way…

…Actually, he'd probably take more pleasure in killing me when I'm fully aware, kicking and screaming.

What a pleasant thought.

And that's the thing… I have no idea what he'll do next. He's effectively fulfilled his original objective. If he has created another objective for himself, there's no way of knowing what it is. Perhaps he will dedicate himself to tormenting Sonic for the rest of his life. Or maybe he'll decide to conquer the world for himself. There's always the possibility that he'll stay the loyal servant I intended him to be and aid me in the establishment of the Eggman Empire…

…A phenomenally small possibility.

So, here I am, at a loss of what to do as I contemplate my life and how much longer I may have to live it.

An alarms sounds, and I'm snapped out of my reverie to check the security systems from the terminal in front of me. The sensors show an intruder breaching what's left of my defenses at an alarming rate. There's only two living creatures I know capable of moving that fast.  
Well… one, now.

And as I see the dark fury through the surveillance cameras, I realize that my lifespan just became dramatically shorter…

Author's Notes

Gee, it seems like I end every chapter with a cliffie. XP I blame Yami Chibi. She's evil.

-I AM THE POCKY NINJA! FEAR! (throws Animal Crackers of Death at the readers as though they were shuriken)-

See? What'd I tell ya? _¬_._¬_

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed thus far. I really appreciate it. n.n To those who want SonAmy… I didn't really intend for this story to focus on that relationship, although I am a SonAmy supporter. I just think that putting too much of that in here would detract from what my original aim was. However… k0m0d0, you gave me an idea for an Amy chapter that could lead to some one-sided SonAmy-ness… and plenty of angst, of course. XD So that may come in the near future, though it won't be the next chap. After all, we have a cliffie to resolve. :P Though I _could_ just leave it hanging for a while and leave you all in suspense… (runs from the angry readers as Yami Chibi lays down Pocky cover fire) Thanksforreadingandpleasereviewbye! (poofs)


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes

No, I didn't forget about this fic. :P Just got a little sidetracked with school and obsessing over the Sonic next-gen game. _¬_._¬_; In fact, I wrote a mini-fic based on the new game for Sonic's b-day last month, so please go read it if you haven't already. n.n

This chapter may be a bit shorter than the others. And… um… can't really think of anything else to say. o.O So read!

Chapter 6

_Is that really what he thinks of me?_

This thought haunts me as I leave the hospital room.

I know I can be cold at times…  
…alright, so most of the time.

_But do I really come off as that shallow?_

We've been rivals ever since we first met, certainly, but it's always been an… amicable rivalry. All the taunts, insults, and boasts we exchanged were just for show.

…Weren't they?

For him to suggest that I'm so selfish as to be _happy_ about all this was insulting, to be sure. But even more than that, I was… hurt.

And with everything I've been through, _that's_ an accomplishment.

As often as we may try to outdo each other, prove who's fastest, I would never, _never_ wish this on him. I may be proud, but I'm not _that_ conceited.

_Why would he say that?_ I wonder as I continue down the hall, barely acknowledging Amy and Tails sitting on a nearby bench. I thought we had a mutual respect for each other… Does he actually resent me for being his equal?

Much as I did when we first met…

I was the Ultimate Life-form, created to be ageless and immortal. The fastest and potentially most powerful creature on or above the planet.

Then along comes that blue hedgehog.

Equal and opposite, he possessed the same abilities, strengths, and weaknesses as me. We were evenly matched in battle, and it infuriated me. I thought I was unique and unbeatable, yet here was this cocky _faker_ who effortlessly shattered that belief.

I eventually came to respect him, especially after we fought side-by-side to save the Earth. I thought he felt the same way, even thought of me as a… friend (not that the feeling is mutual, mind you). He doesn't seem the type to hold a grudge, even after all the things I've done—I doubt he even hates Eggman despite the numerous occasions he's tried to kill us.

_Eggman_…

_This is **his** fault._

My self-doubt suddenly vanishes, replaced by a surge of anger. I unconsciously pick up speed, racing out of the hospital and down the city streets. Cars, people… none of it matters to me as I plow through and out of the city. One solitary objective drives me forward.

_I'll make him pay!_

My hover-skates carry me across hills and forests, murderous thoughts springing up in my head.

_You've gone too far this time._

Grass changes to dirt, dirt to cold steel. Alarms sound, but I pay no heed. What feeble defenses remain barely slow me down. I know exactly where I'm going now, and nothing is going to stop me.

_No more, Doctor._

As I turn a corner, I see my target dash into an elevator at the end of the corridor. Rekindled fury at the sight of him lends me an extra burst of speed, as he hastily jams on a button inside. The door closes just as I reach it, which only infuriates me more. I slam my fist on it, cursing that wretched madman in every way I know how. I look up at the floor indicator, the shifting lights showing me that he's heading to the hangar.

_You won't get away that easily_.

Racing to the nearest stairwell, I take them down to the lowest level. I burst out into the hangar and immediately spot Eggman running as fast as his scrawny legs can carry him.

It's quite a pathetic sight.

He yelps as he notices me and hastens toward his Egg Mobile. But he's still too slow. Jumping him from behind, I land a swift kick to his back. He tumbles forward and hits the floor just in front of his only pitiful hope for escape.

"Going somewhere, _Doctor?_" I sneer down at him.

He whirls around onto his back and tries to scoot away from me, but he ends up backing into one of the landing struts of his Egg Mobile. Fear is clearly etched on his face.

And it pleases me.

To have this wretched human who has caused so much suffering cowering at my feet gives me some sense of satisfaction.

"Shadow, please…"

My hand whips down and latches around his throat. "No, Eggman," I snarl at him. "No begging. Sonic didn't _beg_ for mercy when your little pet mutilated him."

"Shadow, listen," he rasps. "This isn't what I wanted--"

"The _hell_ it isn't!" I yell, slamming his head back against the strut. A small stream of blood begins to trickle down the steel. "You've tried to kill us all for years—so don't give me this crap about not wanting Sonic out of the way!"

"There's a difference between killing and torturing, Shadow…" he replies in a quiet voice. "Even I'm not that cruel."

I laugh and feel another twinge of satisfaction when a shudder runs through his body. "So you'd say that trying to convince me that I was a robot created to serve you isn't cruel? You're more twisted than I thought, Eggman."

This time he's the one to laugh, but weakly. "Would you rather I had told you that you were a science experiment that resulted in the deaths of dozens of innocent people? That you tried to destroy the planet Maria wanted you to protect? Which do you suppose would have been crueler?"

His words anger me even more, mostly because I know it's a valid point. My fingers tighten around the ample flesh of his neck. "Quit playing games with me, Eggman!"

His hands scrabble at mine. "You haven't changed at all, have you, Shadow?" he manages to gasp. "Still blindly passing judgment on the innocent in the name of vengeance."

_No…_

_He's wrong…_

_I'm not…_

_This is different…_

"You're far from innocent, Eggman," I retaliate, yet I can't keep the arm that holds him from shaking. "You created that monster!"

His face takes on a pained expression, and I don't think it's due to his physical condition. "And that's something I will forever regret…"

For once, I'm at a loss. The sadness in his voice… that's something that can't be faked.

_Could he really be telling the truth?_

I've no chance to contemplate it further, as a cold laughter suddenly echoes throughout the hangar.

"Now really, I'm hurt… _Master_."

AN

Haha, another cliffie. Don't ya just love 'em? ;) But you can probably guess who I'll be doing for the next chap. But I have no idea when that will be posted. n.n;

Now for some shameless plugging—go read Trigger and visit my new deviantArt page! (link in my profile) I love attention. :3


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